MUSKEGON, MI – Anthony Armond Howard, a 23-year-old Muskegon Heights man, has been charged with perjury during the investigation of the homicide of Kentae Jones, and tampering with evidence in the case.

The perjury charge could bring a maximum sentence of as much as life in prison. The tampering charge is a potential 10-year felony.

Howard was arraigned Tuesday, April 29, on charges of perjury in response to a prosecutor’s subpoena in the investigation of a life offense – in this case, homicide – and tampering with evidence in a criminal case punishable by at least 10 years in prison.

Muskegon County 60th District Judge Andrew Wierengo III set a personal recognizance bond of $10,000 and scheduled a probable-cause hearing for May 13.

Jones, 18, was killed Jan. 24, 2013, in a drive-by shooting front of a home in the 2400 block of Sixth Street in Muskegon Heights. Jones was moving in furniture to the home, to which he was moving that day, with the help of several other men including Howard.

Isiah Amoz Spears, 21, of Muskegon Heights was charged in March 2014 with open murder after a 14-month investigation. He faces trial in Muskegon County 14th Circuit Court.

Part of the investigation was the use of prosecutor’s investigative subpoenas. Those are court orders compelling witnesses to testify under oath in a criminal investigation, in a closed courtroom and without public access to the testimony.

Howard allegedly made a false statement under oath in the course of that process on Aug. 2, 2013. Specifically, according to the arrest warrant, he allegedly “lied about removing items from the victim before the police arrived.” Removing those items is the basis of the tampering-with-evidence charge.

Prosecutors Wednesday, April 30, declined to comment on what “items” Howard is accused of lying about removing, citing secrecy laws governing the investigative subpoena process.

But on the evidence tampering charge, Chief Assistant Muskegon County Prosecutor Timothy Maat said Howard allegedly removed a gun and drugs from the victim.

At Spears’ probable-cause hearing April 14, a different witness testified about taking Jones’ coat, containing money and drugs, and Jones’ handgun from a car, bringing those items to the victim’s father at another home. Howard did not testify at that hearing.

John
S. Hausman covers courts, prisons, the environment and local government for
MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email him at jhausman@mlive.com and follow
him on Twitter.